The present invention relates to cabinets for appliances, and particularly to removable cabinets for front serviceable appliances and the method of attaching such cabinets. The appliance includes a base frame which supports the internal components and an outer cabinet mounted on the base frame. A rear panel forming the rear closure of the cabinet is secured to the base frame. An appliance control console structure including spaced end walls is secured to a mounting portion of the appliance cabinet adjacent the rear panel. A pair of locking members arranged on the rear panel adjacent each end wall is engaged by a fastener on the console to thereby removably retain the cabinet relative to the rear panel and base frame.
Most domestic appliances, such as automatic washers, have internal operative components covered by a cabinet which is attached to a frame supporting the internal components. Servicing of the appliance is hampered because the internal components are inaccessible unless the cabinet is removed. Such cabinets are held in place by screws, bolts, or other attachment means which must be manually disengaged before the cabinet can be removed. An additional problem is that frequently some internal components are attached in some way to the cabinet so that once the cabinet is removed those parts become nonfunctional and must be rigged for operation without the cabinet in order to service the appliance.